hanger-on

noun
UK: /ˌhæŋ.ərˈɒn/
US: /ˌhæŋ.ərˈɑːn/

  1. A person who stays near a more important person, hoping to get some advantage.

    1. He's just a hanger-on, hoping to get noticed.
    2. The celebrity was surrounded by hanger-ons, all wanting her attention.

  2. Someone who follows a famous or powerful person in order to get attention or advantages for themselves.

    1. She dismissed him as a mere hanger-on, interested only in her fame.
    2. Every successful politician attracts hanger-ons eager to share their success so be careful.

Synonyms

parasite sycophant follower minion toady supporter
hanger-on adjective

  1. Acting as a sycophant or dependent.

    1. He has a hanger-on personality.
    2. I noticed a very hanger-on attitude within her personality.
hanger-on noun

  1. Relating to, or characteristic of, a person who attaches themselves to someone important or famous in order to gain personal advantage.

    1. He has hanger-on behavior.
    2. I notice a very hanger-on attitude within her character.

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "hanger-on" in English means: A person who stays near a more important person, hoping to get some advantage., Someone who follows a famous or powerful person in order to get attention or advantages for themselves..

The phonetic transcription of "hanger-on" is /ˌhæŋ.ərˈɒn/ in British English and /ˌhæŋ.ərˈɑːn/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "hanger-on": parasite, sycophant, follower, minion, toady, supporter.

Example usage of "hanger-on": "He's just a hanger-on, hoping to get noticed.". More examples on the page.